Empowering bloggers and citizen journalists in the Arab world

UNDEF funds a project to train and support Arab bloggers and citizen journalists to advance freedom of expression and human rights. The initiative, implemented by the Tunis-based Institut Arabe des Droits de l'Homme, works with writers in range of countries, including Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen, by holding regional workshops and online training in human rights instruments and national legislation on press freedom. This is to be followed by the creation of a network of bloggers and citizen journalists for internet coverage of developments in human rights and democratization, with an emphasis on vulnerable and marginalized groups. A public event will be organized to present the 10 best products, with awards for the top three. In parallel, research will be conducted to analyze cause and effect in the emergence of bloggers and citizen journalists as triggers of the Arab spring, as well as their role in ongoing democratic transition.